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EDUCATION  IN  NEW  MEXICO. 

// ^ 


-jr:hie'(d:rt 


OF 


HON.  Vv^.  G.  RITCH 


TO    THE 


COMMISSIONER  OF  EDUCATION. 


M'or  the  year  18^4. 


SANTA  FE,  N.  M. 

MANDERFIELD  &;  TUCKER,  Pkintkrs. 

JS'eto  Mexican  Office. 


—2^ 

The  FITRST  AUTH-ORITATIVE  ACTION 

-fwfavor  of  public  schools  in  New  Mexico,  as  appears  froilP 
th€  journals  of  the  proviuciai  and  departmental  junt  s  of  the* 
territory  was  April  27th,  18*22,  immediately  folio win<yf  the 
war  for  the  independence  ot  Mexico.  These  bodies  at  that?- 
timo  passed  a  concurrent  resolution  declariiJg-  it  the  duty,  and 
that  the  provisional  governmjent  would,  provide  means  for 
the  education  of  the  youth  of  the  province.  Brevoort,  iu  a 
pamphlet  recently  issued  on  Kew  Mexico,  says  in  this  c^n- 
nection: — "Those  bodies  regularly  made  provision  for  the 
education  of  the  youth  of  the  country  in  primary  education. 
They  donor  appear  to  have  ever  established  any  ii  stitution 
of  learning  here,  or  indeed  to  have  contemplated  giving  any 
but  an  ekrmentary  education  to  the  youth.  The  salaries  pro- 
vided for  the  teachers  were  small,  ^nd  those  at  tha  capital 
were  paid  from  the  public  treasury  hy  appropriation,  while 
iu  the  diiferent  jurisdictional  pcn^tidos,  into  wiiich  the  coun- 
fry  was  divided,  the  prefects  thereof  were  required  to  see 
that  schools  were  provided;  and  w^ere  maintained  by  local 
taxation  or  fvcm.  a  retained  portion  of  the  revenue  collected 
for  the  general  treasury."  Here,  it  is  w^ell  to  remark,  that  the 
peons,  or  slaves,  w^hich  until  the  emancipation  proclaniat  on 
constituted  a  majority  of  the  population,  of  course  i-eceived 
no  benetit  of  even  of  these  primitive  advantages,  nor  have  we 
a  right  to  suppose  in  this  sparcely  settled  country  that  theser 
advantages  extended  much  beyond  the  county  scats  and 
towns  of  some  size.  The  writer  continues:  *'But  since  t  lie 
change  of  government  at  that  time,  and  the  inauguration  of 
new"  laws,  usages  and  customs,  the  state,  until  within  the  last 
three  or  four  years,  had  ceased  in  New"  Mexico  to  atford  any 
encouragement  whatever  to  the  education  of  the  rising  gene- 
ration in  the  Territory,  whose  legislatures  have  allow  ul  one 
generation  at  least  to  grow  up  without  any  provision,  so  far 
as  they  are  concerned  for  its  education." 

The  present  school  law,  the  substance  of  which  was  set  forth 
in  mv  last  annual  report,  was  enacted  b,  the  legislature  of 
1871-72.     This 

LAW  WAS  SLIGHTHY  MODIFED 

by  the  last  legislature,  but  is  still  very  far  short  of  a  good 
practical  school  law  and  very  far  short  of  what  the  intelligent 
peo])le  of  the  territory  have  a  right  to  expect.  The  act  of 
73-74  provides  for  annual  reports  from  the  Supervisors  and 
Directors  of  public  schools  to  the  Territorial  Superintendent;: 
and  from  the  Superintendent  to  the  Governor.  Said  report 
to  contain  the  ''number  of  schools,"  with  the  number  of 
••pupils  taught";  the  ^'number  of  teachers,  male  and  female", 
with  salary;  the  number  of  /'pupils  in  each  precinct"  with 
'•average  attendance";  and  the  '^branches  taught."  "In  case 
of  the  sickness,  or  inability  of  any  of  the  members  of  the- 
board  of  supervisors,  to  fulfill  tJunr  duties,"  the  president  of 
the  board  is  "authorized  to  discharge  the  duties  and  exercise* 
the  power  oi  the  board  of  the  county."  Per  diem  of  board; 
fixed  at  $3,  payable  out  of  the  county  funds. 


— 3— 

The  Siipcrinteiident  of  public  schools  is  made  ex-officio 
Territorial  Librarian,  vested  with  the  duties  and  to  receiver 
the  ^^emoliiments."  This  would  give  the  otficer  a  salary  of 
$300  per  year  for  the  performance  of  the  duties  of  tlie  two  of- 
fices.    Stationery  and  blanks  are  also  provided. 

In  this  connection  it  may  also  be  stated  that  the  list  of 
exemptions  from  taxation  were  reduced  and  a  stringent  law 
enacted  for  the  enforcement  of  the  collection  of  taxes. 

The  latter  enactments,  if  properly  enforced,  could  scarcely 
fail  of  materially  increasing  the  amount  of  the  school  fund. 
It  may  also  be  remarked  that  the  Governor  has,  thus  ihv 
failed  to  appoint  a  Territorial  Superintendent  under  the  new 
law.  It  is  obvious  that  the  j-adical  defect  of  the  law,  in  not 
vesting  proper  authority  in  the  superintendent,  and  the  beg- 
garly pittance  of  a  salary,  are  sufHcient  cause,  for  the  failure 
to  appoint.  No  person,  who  possesses  the  proper  experience 
and  ability  to  till  the  duties  of  the  office  in  the  present  un- 
organized condition  of  the  schools  of  1:he  territory;  to  say 
nothing  of  performing  other  duties  required,  can  accomplish 
anything  at  all  satisfactory  under  the  law  or  for  a  moment 
afford  to  accept  it  on  the  salary,  in  this  land  of  high  prices  and 
expensive  travelling  over  magnificent  distancee.  The  moral 
grandure  of  the  position  certainly  would  be  a  rather  poor 
compensation. 

The  present  condition  of  the  schools, 

is  represented  in  iha  following  tabular  statement  for  the 
vear  1874. 


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o 

--5— 

Total  No.  private  schools  31,  number  of  children  in  at- 
tendance 988,  No.  of  teachers  68,  English  or  Spanish — 7  E. 
U  E.  <fe  S.  10  S.  School  fund,  $48,118. 

Pueblo  Indian  schools  8,  number  of  children  in  atten- 
dance 170,  number  of  Teacliers  10,  teachers  wages  $50,  per 
month,  English  school,  fund  $5,277. 

Grand  Total,  Number  of  schools,  167,  number  of 
children  in  attendance  6578,  number  of  teachers  221,  English 
or  Spanish— 24  E.  45  E.  &>.  S.  98  S.  school  fund  $81,918.34. 

The  above  statement  lacks  two  counties  of  making  a  com- 
plete showing  of  the  present  condition  of  education.  The 
statement  given  is  based  on  authenticated  returns  from  the 
respective  counties  represented;  and  so  far,  is  as  reliable  as 
it  is  possible  in  the  present  unorganized  state,  for^  obtaining 
statistics.  The  funds,  of  several  counties  stated,  is  only  the 
available  fund;  the  amount  being  partly  for  the  uncollected 
tax  of  last  year;  and  so  much  as  was  collected  this  year,  at 
the  time  the  reports  were  made  respectively. 

Educational  Progress. 

Casually  viewed,  educational  progress  will  hardly  be  ad- 
mitted. A  close  examination  and  a  philosophical  view  of  the 
situation  in  {^11  its  bearings  is  doubtless  necessary  to  discover 
progress  during  the  past  year.  From  inform:ition  gleaned 
from  the  rejjorts,  Jrom  private  sources  and  from  the  press, 
we  tind  sufficient  to  warrant  tiie  belief,  that  there  has  been  sub- 
stantial progress  in  the  cause  ot  popular  education.  No 
small  item  is  a  growing  belief  aiuong  the  people  that  schools 
are  a  necessity;  and  a  demand  for  them  beyond  the  ability  of 
schools  boards  to  meet  the  expense  with  the  present  fund. 
While  the  number  of  schools  and  the  attendance  is  not  ma- 
terially different  from  tliat  stated  in  my  last  annual  report, 
there  is,  in  the  counties  reported,  a  reduction  in  the  ratio  ot 
teachers  to  pupils  ot  ten  per  cent;  making  an  average  of  one 
teacher  to  tliirty  seven  pupils;  in  the  same  counties  there  are 
forty  schools  in  which  the  English  language  is  taught  were 
there  were  only  eighteen  last  year;  while  there  has  been  a 
corresponding  decrease  of  exclusively  S{)anish  schools,  lu 
four  different  counties  reported,  books  liave  been  furnished 
to  the  poor  children;  and  a  healthy  commencement  has  been 
made  in  the  furnishing  of  school  rooms  with  suitable  fur- 
nature  and  apparatus.  There  appears  also,  as  evinced  in 
newspaper  discussions,  a  concentrated  move  for  uniformity 
of  school  books  by  counties  at  least.  The  discussion  will 
doubtless  result  in  enlarged  views  and  it  is  also  to  be  hoped 
in  securing  the  latest  and  most  approved  models. 

The  public  school  system  proper,  of  New  Mexico,  now  only 
iu  its  third  year,  started  without  a  single  public  school  house 
in  the  territory,  without  even  a  desk,  blackboard  or  school- 
book,  with  no  experience  whatever  in  their  organization  or 
conduct  among  tke  masses  of  tlie  peo])le,  in  ten  out  of  thirteen 
counties;  with  competent  teachers  scarce,  and  school  board* 
when  710^  uneducated  to  a  proper  appreciation  of  I  he  w' 


— 6— 

of  competent  teachers,  were  pressed  with  more  application* 
for  the  establishment  of  schools  than  their  limited  funds 
would  provide  even  at  moderate  wages.  Hence,  all  things 
considered,  we  confidently  submit  there  has  been  substantial 
progress  in  popular  education. 

There  is  likewise  a  growing  ambition  among  the  youth  to 
learn  trades  and  every  available  opportunity,  with  the  pre- 
sent limited  number  and  variety  of  trades  represented,  is  im- 
proved with  alacrity.  It  is  gratiiying  to  know  that  the 
native  youth  show  an  interest  and  skill  in  the  learning  of 
trades  worthy  of  emulation  by  youth  who  boast,  and  not 
without  reason,  of  much  higher  primary  advantages. 

Of  private  school.s. 

There  has  been  more  marked  jjrogress  in  private  schools 
-relatively,  than  we  are  able  to  record  of  the  public  school. 
Thus,  at' the  close  of  1874  we  find  reported  thirty-one  of  thii 
class  of  schools  with  sixty-eight  teachers  where  there  were 
last  year  but  twenty-six  schools  with  fifty-three  teachers. 
The  reduction  in  the  ratio  of  teachers  to  pupils  is  about  forty 
per  cent;  making  an  average  of  one  teacher  to  fifteen  pupils 
or  less  than  one  half  the  average  in  the  public  school.  On 
the  other  hand,  the  report  this  year  shows  five  more  select 
schools  in  which  Spanish  is  taught  and  five  »less  in  which 
English  is  taught.  Of  the  thirty-one  select  schools  twenty-one  • 
are  confined  almost  exclusively  to  the  primary  branches  and 
ton  may   be  regarded  as  academic  and  in  the  main  devoted  to 

SECONDABY  EDUCATION. 

Of  the  latter  we  give  the  following  list  with  details  : 
SANTA  FE. 

**St.  Michaels  College''  under  the  direction  andmanagement 
of  the  ^'Christian  Brothers'',  and  chartered  under  an  act  of 
the  last  Legislative  Assembly:-— numbers  five  teachers,  fifty- 
eight  pupils  and  has  an  income  arising  from  tuition  and 
board  of  $7,690  00 

The  *' Academy  of  our  Lady  of  Light",  under  the 
direction  and  management  of  the  Sisters  of  Lo- 
retto,  and  also  chartered  under  an  act  of  the  Le- 
gislative Assembly  numbers  six  teachers,  fifty  nine 
pupils  and  has    an  income  from  tuition  and  board  of      7,890  99! 

LAS  YEGAS. 

Sisters  of  Loretto  number  five  teachers,  seventy- 
two  pupils  and  an  income  of  4,80QQ(^ 

San  Miguel  Collegiate  Institute  of  Rev.  J.  A.  An- 
nin,  which,  with  tuition  books  and  stationery  is  free 
to  all,  has  two  teachers,  thirty-two  ])upils,  average 
attendance,  and  an  income  for  the  general  mission 
work  derived  from  the  Board  of  Foreign  Missions, 
except  $300  local  subscription.  (The  mission  pro- 
perty consisting  of  school  house,  church  and  resi^ 
deuce  and  is  owned  by  the  board.)  1,800  00 


MORA. 

Sisters  of  Loretto,  number  seven  teachers,  eighty 
■pupils  and  income  of  *       5,500  00 

Christian  Brothers,  number  eight^teachers,  eighty 
pupils  and  an  income  of  6^000  06 

LA  JUNTA. 

Methodist  Episcopal  Mission  School  of  Rev, 
Thomas  Harwood,  free  to  all  has  three  teachers  forty 
two  pupils,  average  attendance,  and  a  net  income 
-derived  from  voluntary  contributions  and  for  tuition 
:and  board  of  1,000  00 

TAOS. 

Sisters  of  Loretto,  number  five  teachers,  fifty  pu- 
pil and  an  income  of  4,500  00 

Presbyterian  Mission  School  of  Rev.  James  M. 
IRoberts,  free  to  all,  has  two  teachers,  average  atten- 
xiance  of  thirty  six  pupils  and  income  for  the  gen- 
eral mission  vsrork  derived  from  the  Board  of 
Foreign  Missions,  except  $250  voluntary  contribu- 
tion for  tuition,  of  1,250  (^ 

LAS    CRUCES. 

Sisters  of  Loretto,  numbertbreeteachei^s,  twenty 
pupils  and  an  income  of  1,500  <B 

Total  income  of  seconda;ry  schools,    $41,430  00 
These  schools  are  uniformly  open  ten  months  of  tihe  year, 
iind  include  in  their  curriculum  the  higher  english  branches, 
:«panish,  frencli,  german,  latin  and  greek. 

Here  we  wish  to  acknowledge  the  courtesy  of  Hon.  Jose  D. 
}8ena,  in  furnishing  the  data  relating  to  the  Catholic  paro- 
.chial  schools  of  the  ^^Ohristian  Brothers'^  and  "Sisters  of 
Loretto",  above  enumerated;  and  to  add  his  qualifying  note; 
that  "the  annual  income  of  all  the  schools,  (here  referred  to) 
except  those  in  Santa  Fe  county,  is  estimated;  and  is  as  near 
icorrectas  it  .could  be  made  from  the  information  obtainable. 

New  schools  to  be  started. 

Incidentally,  we  learn  that  the  Sister*  of  Loretto  are  about 
starting  schools, — one  at  Sapeilo  and  another  at  Bernalillo. 
At  the  latter  place,  through  the  munificent  liberality  of  a 
citizen,  suitable  buildings  ar<e  in  course  of  construction  for 
the  accomodation  of  one  of  tlies-e  parochial  schools  for  secon- 
dary education. 

At  Las  Cruces,  in  the  catholic  diocese  of  Bishop  Salpoint, 
buildings  are  erected  and  nigh  completed  for  the  accomoda- 
tion of  St.  Joseph  College,  to  be  opened  in  the  spring. 

It  is  proper  to  state  that  most  if  not  all  of  the  schools  under 
the  *'Christiaii  Brothers'^  and  ^*Sisters  of  Loretto,'^  receive  i^ 
portion  of  the  public  school  fund  and  supplant,  measurably 
ixi  least,  the  public  schools  of  their  respective  localities.    At 


-8— 

Albuquerque  and  La  Junta,  and  possibly  in  other  localitieff^ 
the  Jesnit  Fathers  have  the  controll  of  the  public  schools  ancl 
are  paid  out  of  the  public  schools  funds.  In  Las  Veg*as  tliey 
succeed  to  the  public  school  as  soon  as  the  contract  expire** 
with  the  present  teacher. 

The  La  Junta   Academic  Scpiooi^. 

Professor  Harwood,  the  ouly  representative  of  the  several 
schools  whose  report  embodied  any  considerable  remarks  ex- 
planatory, says  of  his  school  at  La  Junta;  that  it  is  in  its  fifth 
year,  starting  with  less  than  a  dozen  scholars  mostly  a.  b.  e. 
darians  occupying  a  amall  room  improvised  for  the  time. 
'  A  good  two*  story  building  has  since  been  erected  of  ample 
size  and  in  modern  style.  Theschool  roll  includes  pupils  IVoni 
many  se(;tions  of  the  territory  and  even  from  neighboring' 
territories,  boarding  in  apartments  that  some  time  since 
ceased  to  be  of  sufficient  size  to  meet  the  increasing  demands 
for  admission  from  abroad.  Fifteen  applicants  were  rejected 
during  the  past  year  for  w^ant  of  room  to  accomodate  them. 
Additional  apartments  are  being  added  to  the  boarding  house 
and  hopes  are  entertained  of  soon  being  able  to  accomodate 
the  fiill  demand  for  admission.  The  school  roll  shows  an  at- 
tendance of  seventy  scholars  during  the  year,  38  boys  and  22 
girls,  with  ^n  average  attendance  of  42.  While  no  scholar  is 
excluded  from  inability  to  pay  and  the  rolls  show  that  one 
half  the  pupils  are  on  the  free  list,  the  school  receives  no 
part  of  the  public  school  fund.  In  closing  his  report  Profes- 
sor Harwood  says:  ''We  are  determined  with  Gods  blessing,, 
to  build  u])  an  institution  of  learning  second  to  norie  in  the 
Territory.'' 

The  M.  E.  Mission  Schoojls. 

In  addition  to  his  labors  as  the  principle  of  the  La  Junta 
school  during  the  past  year.  Professor  Jlarwood  has  been 
(miployed  as  Superintendent  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Mis- 
sions of  New  Mexico.  In  the  time  thus  engaged,  we  learn 
from  his  report  he  has  established  three  additional  mission 
schools;  one  each  at  Civuelita  and  Peralta  and  another  at  a 
village  near  Socorro.  The  latter  place  is  distinctly  a  Mexican 
town  without  a  single  American  resident,  and  the  teacher,  is 
thereon  invitation  of  the  people  of  that  village.  He  is  fur- 
nished with  subsistance,  a  house  and  is  promised  as  much  more 
pay  as  they  can  afford.  These  three  schools  have  something 
over  twenty  pupils  each  ar^d  have  an  encouraging  start. 

Presbyterian  Mission  Schools. 

Professor  Annin  of  Las  Vegas,  in  his  report  referring  to 
the  mission  property  at  that  place  says : — ''It  seems  to  me  it 
might  properly  be  submitted  to  the  consideration  of  the  pub- 
lic or  of  the  proper  authorities^  wiiether  one  who  teachers  a 
free  school  and  incurs  considerable  expense  to  keep  up  the 
school^  and  in  furnishing  the  pupils  with  almost  all  book*^ 
paper,  ink,  etc.,  might  not  be  exempt  from  school  taxJ' 


— 9— 

Pro^SBor  lioberi:^  of  the  Taos  school  saj^8  :  '*(Uini3«r  Hi?? 
la^t  year  our  school  has  been  quite  well  sustained;  our  pupils 
arc  advancing"  very  nicely  indeed/' 

The  incompleteness  of  the  returns  which  confines  inforniri- 
t.ion  relative  to  the  ellicieney  and  progress  of  the  secondary 
schools  to  general  reports,  with  the  exceptions  noted,  in  i% 
subject  of  regret. 

The  Puebi/O  Indians   schools. 

The  last  annual  report  of  the  Pueblo  Agent  shows  8  s<"hoolrv 
with  10  teachers,  being  an  increase  of  three  schools  and  hav- 
ing 228  pupils  enrolled  and  170  attending;  an  ittcrease  in  at- 
tendance of  08  over  last  report.  The  average  ri umber  of 
months  taught  is  8,  an  increase  of  2  months.  The  branches 
taught  were  reading,  writing,  arithmetic  and  geography. 
Considering  the  short  time  v/hich  tliese  schools  have  been  im 
continuous  operation,  coramcjidable  progress  has  been 
made.  Of  school  houses,  one  is  owned  by  a  pueblo  vil- 
lage, four  are  rented  and  three  the  use  donated.  With  th<r 
exception  of  $300  paid  by  the  board  of  missions — the  school 
fund  is  paid  by  the  government.  Under  the  efficient  manage- 
ment of  the  late  agent,  Mr.E.  C.  Lewis,  an  iiicreased  interest 
in  schocfls  v/as  awakened  among  these  Indians  and  before  the 
fiscal  year  was  completed  he  found  three  applications  lor 
schools  on  his  hands  which  he  was  unable  to  sa|)piy  for  want 
of  funds  and  from  a  source  where  they  had  previously  refused 
to  have  schools  except  in  Spanish.  The  interest  evinced  by 
these  semi-civilized  people  in  the  education  of  their  cliildren, 
is  specially  interesting  at  this  time  when  their  tribal  relation 
possibly  may  be  exchanged  for  that  of  citizenship. 

It  i^  likewise  well  in  this  conne(;tion  to  mention  the  recom- 
mendation of  Agent  Lewis,  in  his  last  report,  for  the  esta)>lish- 
mentof  a  training  school  for  the  education  of  native  teacJiern 
not  only  in  the  English  tongue,  bur  likev/isein  the  mechanical 
arts;  one  object  being  to  separate  the  pupil  from  daily  inter- 
course with  his  tribe  and  to  substitute  daily  and  exclusive 
intercourse  with  English  speaking  people.  In  this  manner, 
t-eachers  could  be  su]>plied  who  v/ere  familiar  with  their 
native  tongue  as  M'ell  as  the  English  language  and  a  much 
greater  ellicieney  given  to  the  schools  and  to  the  develop- 
ment o^  the  tneciuinical  arts.  It  is  due  to  the  cause  of  civili- 
zation among  these  Indians  to  express  a  hope  that  the  recom^ 
mendations  otthelate  agent,  in  this  particular  at  least,  will  re- 
ceive favorable  attention  at  the  hands  of  the  goverriment  be- 
fore the  responsibilities  of  citizenship  are  legislated  upon 
them.  No  intelligent  person  at  all  acquainted  with  the  peo- 
ple of  this  territory  but  wliat  will  fully  recognize  that  thv* 
percentage  of  illiteracy  is  deplorably  high  already,  and  tliat 
it  could  liardly  be  otherwise  than  suicidal  to  increasing  it 
with  the  addition  of  several  thousand  pueblo  Indians,  not 
one  of  whom,  among  the  adults  at  least,  can  (^ither  read  or 
write  the  English  language  or  any  other  language  for  thai 
matter. 


—10— 

Schools  among  the  Navajo  Indians. 

The  reservation  for  this  tribe  is  equally  divided  between 
.New  Mexico  and  Arizona.  While  Ft.  Defiance,  the  head- 
quarters of  tlie  agency,  is  situate  over  the  line  into  Arizona  thi' 
<;oniiniinication  with  the  military  and  the  outside  world  is  in 
:md  through  New  Mexico.  The  agency  is  associated  with 
this  territory  by  the  government  for  all  purposes,  hence  may 
properly  be  mentioned  in  this  connection.  The  treaty  be- 
tween the  government  and  the  Navajos  require  a  school 
teacher  and  school  house  with  books  and  apai  atus  for  each 
thirty  children  that  can  be  induced  to  attend  school.  There 
are  on  the  rolls  3000.  children  belonging  to  this  tribe.  The 
work  of  organizing  these  schools  began  about  two  years  ago. 
From  Agent  Arny,  we  learn  there  has  been  two  schools  or- 
ganized and  are  now  in  successful  o])eration  with  one  teacher 
each  and  an  attendance  of  about  thirty  pupils  each.  One 
of  these  schools  has  for  its  object  education  in  the  English 
language  and  is  attended  by  both  Mexicans  and  Indians;  the 
other  school  is  industrial  and  is  doing  much  towards  giving 
practicable  experience  relative  to  agriculture  and  the  mechan- 
ic's arts.  There  are  some  thirty  pupils  that  can  read  in  their 
lirst  reader.  Other  schools  are  about  being  establish  and  will 
be  increased  in  numbers,  as  required  by  treaty  stipulation  as 
■fast  as  parents  can  be  induced  to  send  their  children,  and 
until  schools  are  provided  for  the  whole  number. 

Lpjgtslation  Needed. 

It  is  much  easier  to  find  fault  than  to  carry  out  systems  of 
schools  already  established  and  much  more  difficult  to  glean 
the  essential  provisions  of  the  American  sytemsand  practical- 
ly adopt  them  to  the  y>eculiarities  of  New  Mexico.  However 
well  ])lanned  a  school  system,  it  is  a  work  of  time  to  make  it 
effective  under  favorable  circumstances  and  much  more  so 
with  a  people  so  very  generally  unused  to  school  systems  of 
any  kind.  It  is  not  worth  while  however  to  despise  the  day 
of  small  (liings,  but  to  take  encouragement  so  long  as  pro- 
gres.^  is  apparent  and  push  on.  To  this  end  there  is  need  of 
farther  legislation. 

First. — An  iniM-ease  in  the  salary  of  the  Superintendent  of 
public  instruction  and  with  such  qualitying  clauses  as  would 
secure  experieiice  and  competency,  to  the  end  that»  modern 
free  schools  may  be  established  on  a  permanent  basis. 

Second. — Vesting  such  superintendent  with  discretionary 
power  and  authority  in  details  of  organizing  the  schools, 
of  reports  to  be  made  and  in  the  qualification  of  teachers. 

Third. — Legislation  that  Avill  authorize  the  organization  of 
fcchool  districts  where  there  are  sufficient  population,  insuring 
to  them  an  equitable  share  in  the  school  fund  and  the  grant- 
ing to  them  the  ])()W^er  of  voting  local  taxes  for  the  purpose 
of  building  school  houses,  purchasingfurnit  lire  and  apparatus 
and  the  supplying  of  any  deficiency  in  the  public  school 
fund  necessary  to  the  securing  an  efficient  free  public  school 
for  ten  months  of  the  year. 


—11— 

Fourth.— A  normal  school  for  the  education  of  teacliers, 
located  at  some  central  point  and  worl^ing  on  the  model  of 
those  in  Illinois,  Wisconsin  or  other  of  the  states  in  which 
the  greatest  progress  in  free  schools  has  been  made. 

Fifth.— It  should  be  made  the  duty  of  chief  school  ofHcers 
to  look  well  to  the  standard  of  qualification  of  teachers  includ- 
ing morals,  intelligence  and  experience,  and  to  admit  no 
teacher  unless  he  or  she  was  unexceptionable  in  morals,  and 
amply  advanced  in  other  essentials  to  meet  the  demands  of  the 
school  in  which  employment  was  to  be  given.  To  this  end 
-competent  school  officers  should  be  designated  by  law  to 
frequently  visit  the  schools  and  to  make  examinations  and  re- 
port on  the  progress  made.  Teachers  should  be  held  to  a 
istrict  accountability;  and,  we  repeat,  morality  should  con- 
^Btitute  a  distinct  factor  in  their  composition. 

Sixth. —  Girls  should  liave  equal  chances  in  every  particular 
with  boys  in  school  advantages. 

Impkovements    needed. 

• 
The  schools  are  embarrassed  for  want  of  suitable  accomo- 
dations and  other  items,  the  necessity  of  which,  nre  recogniz- 
ed, and  for  want  of  funds  necessarily  remain  unsupplicd;  but 
are  being,  and  will  in  most  cases  be  supplied  as  fast  as  prnctic- 
able.  Chief  of  these  is  the  want  of  proper  school  build- 
ings fu mature  and  apparatus.  While  probably  more 
schools  have  been  started,  than  are  made  etficient  with  the 
school  fnnd  at  hand,  there  are  still  in  the  territory  nearly 
double  the  number  of  children  without  the  advantages  of 
schools  of  any  kind  than  there  are  children  on  the  school 
rolls.  The  remedy  for  this  Vv^ill  be  found  in  a  more  faithful 
assessment  and  collection  of  taxes;  and  an  equitable  distribu- 
tion of  the  school  fund  accompanied  by  the  local  i-ight  to  vote 
an  additional  tax.  Evening  schools  might  be  made  advanta 
geous  for  adults  in  the  towns  and  neighborhoods  when  the 
population  is  sufficiently  numerous.  Parents  could  do  a  good 
service  by  visiting  the  schools,  and  thus  lending  encourage- 
ment by  their  presence  and  alfording  to  them  an  opportunity 
to  judge  understandingly  of  the  efficiency  of  the  teacher,  who 
holds  so  intimate  a  relation  to  the  future  well  being  of  their 
children.  Many  boys  of  a  tender  age  are  kept  employed  ag 
herders  and  in  other  occupations  during  the  summer  months 
when  they  should  be  attending  school.  Good  free  public 
schools  are  a  necessity  in  every  community  from  whatever 
stand  point  viewed.  If  the  territory  is  to  be  made  to 
keep  pace  with  the  enterprise  and  i)rogress  of  the  day,  cer- 
tainly we  must  have  good  free  public  schools;  emigration, 
skilled  labor  and  capital  cannot  be  expected  in  any  consider- 
able force  where  they  do  not  exist. 

Schools  of  Mines. 

The  great  variety  and  richness  of  the  mineral  deposits  and 
the  immensity  of  wealth  in  these  latent  resources,  should  long 
since  have  prompted  the  establishment  of  one  or  more  schooU 


-lO . 

—  lu 

of  mines  in  the  territory.  No  country  affords  a  better  oppor- 
tunity lor  the  practical  study  of  mineralogy;  and  no  country 
\7oukl  receive  a  greater  proportional  benelit  from  the  esta- 
blishment of  such  school.  The  interests  involved  would  seem 
to  make  them  worthy  of  favorable  consideration  by  the  legis- 
lature. 

During  the  past  year  two  public  school  houses  have  been 
added  at  an  expense  of  $1500  and  $500  respectively.  The 
school  terms  very  from  one  month  to  twelve  months. 

Not  to  exceed  one  quarter  of  the  schools  arise  above 
l>rimary  instruction. 

The  highest  teachers  wages  paid  from  the  public  fund  is 
$50  per  month.  In  a  few  instances  this  amount  is  increased 
by  private  subscription.  The  loTvest  wages  paid  is  $10  per 
month.  The  school  terms  for  the  year  vary  from  one  month 
to  twelve  months. 

Girls  not  admitted. 

^  Girls  are  not  generally  admitted  to  the  public  school.  This 
arises  from  a  belief  quite  generally  prevailing  in  the  territory 
that  there  should  be  separate  schools  for  girls;  and  not  from 
indisposition  to  provide  for  them.  In  Mora  county,  if  wo  are 
correctly  informed,  separate  schools  have  been  established 
for  girls.  Girls  are  also  provided  for  from  the  public 
funds  wherever  the  schools  of  the  *'Sisters  of  Loretto'* 
have  been  established.  Mixed  schools  are  the  rnle  in 
Colfax  and  Grant  counties  and  it  is  possible  there  are  other 
mixed  schools  in  the  territory  of  which  we  have  no  know- 
ledge. 

iSpeaking  of  this  class  of  scliools,  Jean  Paul  Ttitcher  says: 
**To  insure  modesty,  I  w^ould  advise  the  educating  of  the 
^exes  together;  for  two  boys  will  preserve  twelve  girls,  or 
two  girls  twelve  boys,  innocent,  amid  winks,  Jokes  and  im- 
proprieties, merely  by  that  iriStintive  sense  which  is  the  fore- 
runner of  matured  modesty.  But  J  will  guarantee  nothing  in 
a  sdiool  where  girls  are  alone  together,"  and  still  less  where 
boys  are.'' 

School  Financks. 

The  amount  of  the  available  public  school  fund  for  the  last 
year  gleaned  from  the  reports  of  all  but  two  counties  is  $28,- 
623.31,  being  about  $1,200  less  than  the  amount  reported  for 
the  whole  territory  last  year.  It  would  seem  that  under  the 
greatly  reduced  exemptions  and  the  stringent  law  of  1874  for 
the  collection  of  taxes,  that  tlie  available  school  fund  should 
liave  been  considerably  more  than  that  of  the  year  previous. 
Thus,  on  examination  of  the  assessment  roll  we  lind  the 
whole  amount  of  the  assessment  for  1874,  for  both  real  and 
personal  property,  after  deducting  exemptions  and  including 
the  county  of  Lijicoln  as  assessed  in  1872,  amounts  to  $7,603,- 
772,  (an  assessment,  by  the  way,  less  than  one  third  the  amount 
that  it  should  be  as  we  are  credibly  assured,  and  considerably 
le"?s  than. one  half  the  amount  of  the  assessed  valuation  of  the 


—13— 

territory  of  Colorado  before  there  was  a  rail  road  within  itB 
bounds).  One  quarter  of  one  per  cent,  being  tlie  amount  of 
the  ])i"operty  tax  lor  scliool  purposes,  the  amount  under  the 
above  assessment  shoukl  be  $20,079.55 

Takin.ic  the  number  of  votes  polled  at  the  last  ofen- 

eral  election;  bein<^  some 25  per  cent  less  than  theac* 

tual  numl)er  of  voters  in  the  territory,  as  the  amount 

])ractical)le  to  collect  and  we  should  have  from  this 

.  source  for  the  school  fund  17,092.00 

Amount  of  school  fund  if  all  collected  $D7,17l.b[) 

Thus  the  scliool  fund  f<fv  1874  is  $9,500  less  than  it  should 
be  under  a  very  low  assessment.  The  collection  of  revenue 
by  tax  on  real  property,  like  the  school  lav/,  is  new;  indeed, 
was  enacted  the  same  session  of  the  latter;  and  also  like  the 
school  law  will  ])robably  requii'e  a  little  time  to  reduce  to  an 
approximately  tljorou^ili  working.  Hence,  we  have  a  right  to 
expect  the  school  revenue  to  increase  from  year  to  year.  If 
Colorado  with  a  population  of  39.884  before  railroads  had 
reached  the  territory,  had  an  assessed  valuation  of  over 
$16,000,000  we  are  certainly  within  the  bounds  of  probability 
to  estimate  the  assessable  value  of  property,  real  and  per- 
sonal in  ISTew  Mexico  with  a  present  population  clearlv  over 
100,000,  at  $25,000,000.  if  such' estimate  is  correct;— and  who 
has  a  right  to  question  its  correctness,  if  New  Mexico  is  en- 
titled to  become  a  state  and  is  capable  of  maintaining  tlie  ex- 
pense of  a  state  •  of.  the  Union;  as  her  people  generilliy 
believe  tlie  fact  to  be;  we  say,  if  such  estimate  is  cor- 
rect, the  school  fund  of  New  Mexico  to-day  should  be  $80,- 
000  in  place  of  the  insignificant  amount  now  paid  into  the 
treasury  for  that  purpose.  That  it  is  destined  to  reach  that 
amount  and  more,  in  a  very  few  years,  under  the  present  per- 
centage we  hardly  think  will  be  seriously  disputed.  Manifest- 
ly, there  has  been  a  neglect,  if  not  an  absolute  dereliction  of 
duty,  on  the  pa?t  of  the  revenue  officers,  of  the  territory. 

The  disbursements   of  the  school  funcl  of  the  territory  is  as 
follows : 
School  house  and  grounds,  Santa  Fe,  $1,500  00 

Paid  for  rent  of  school  rooms,  1,443  50 

Teachers  wages,  18,639  35 

Per  diem  of   scliool  board    (an  illegal  charge,  as 

will  be  seen  by  reference  to  law  of  1874,)  656  50 

Books,  furniture  and  incidental  expenses.  .    2,405  72 


Total  disbursements,        $24,645  07 
Kent  of  schools  rooms,  school   furniture  and  incidental  ex- 
penses, are    in  very  many  cases  eitlier  donated  by  individuals 
or  paid  by  local  subscription. 


—14— 


School  Officebs, 

The   Presidents  of  the    schools  boards 
officer  of  the  respective  counties  are  as  fo 


County. 
Bernalillo, 
Colfax, 
Doiia  Ana, 
Grant, 
Lincoln, 
Mora, 

Kio  Arriba, 
Santa  Ana, 
Santa  Fe, 
San  Mig'uel, 
Socorro, 
Taos, 
Valencia, 


County  seat. 
Albuquerque, 
Cimarron, 
Mesilla, 
Silver  City, 
Lincoln, 
Mora, 

Plaza  Alcalde, 
Pen  a  Blaiica, 
Santa  Pe, 
Las  Vegas, 
Socorro, 

Fernandez  de  Taos, 
Tome, 


and  chief  executive 
Hows : 

Chief  School  officer. 
Mariano  S.  Utero, 
E.  P.  Mczeck. 
Pabk>    Mel  end  res. 
John  A.  Ketcham. 
L.  G.  Miu'pliy. 
Dolores  Romero. 
Jran  Garcia. 
Andres  C.  doBaca. 
G.  Ortiz  y   Alarid. 
Lorenzo  L(;pez. 
Matias    Contreras. 
A  nice  to  Valdez, 
Manuel  A.  Otero. 


The  Peabody  Fund. 
In  1866  that  liberal  philanthropist,  George  Peabody,  made 
a  most  munificent  donation  ($2,000,000,)  to  a  board  of  trus- 
tees for  the  promo tiou  of  Education  in  the  South,  without 
restriction  of  race  or  condition.  Through  this  fund  Educa- 
tion in  many  of  the  Southern  States  has  taken  great  strides 
in  advance.  As  this  fund  was  doubtless  intended  to  amelior- 
ate the  condition  of  a  country  in  which  the  column  of  igno- 
rance had  been  largely  augmented,  in  the  body  politic,  by 
conferring  the  rights  of  franchise  upon  the  late  slaves,  and  as 
New  Mexico  comes  within  the  South  and  within  the  condi- 
tions named;  it  would  seem  that  she  too  ought  to  be  consid- 
ered in  the  distribution  of  the  Peabody  Fund. 


"i 


